Driving mechanism.



Patnted Feb. 13, 1917.

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JOHN l?. DORAU', OF JEFFERSON, WISCONSIN.

`DRIVING MEcHANIsM.

Specification of Letters Patent. A

Patented Feb. 13, V1917.

Application filed May 10, 1916. Serial No. 96,485.

To all whom t may concern.' Y

Be it known that I, JOHN P. Domina citizen of the United States, andresident of Jefferson, in theA county of Jefferson and State ofWisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in DrivingMechanisms, of which the following is a descrip# tion, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of thisspeciiication.

The invention relates to driving Vmechanism, and more particularly to adriving mechanism for a washing machine.

It is one of the objects of this invention to provide a drivingmechanism for operating the shaft carrying the clothes pounder so as torock the pounder shaft during a Vcomplete revolution of the drive shaftin one direction while said pounder shaft `makes a complete up and downmovement or vertical reciprocation and to rock said shaft during acomplete revolution of the drive shaft in the opposite direction whilesaid pounder shaft makes another complete up and down movement orvertical reciprocation. The advantage of this movement in machines ofthis character is that the change of direction of rotation of the driveshaft and consequently that of the driving connection between it and thepounder shaft causes the pounder to strike the' clothes in a differentplace and thus more eiiiciently accomplish the washing of the clothesthan in that type 0f washing machine in which the pounder always strikesthe clothes in the same place.

A further object of this invention is lto provide a driving mechanism tocause the pounder shaft to operate as above described in which the cycleof operations in opposite directions is accomplished by .one completeoperation of ythe operating handle.

A further object of this inventionv is to provide a construction inwhich the arrangement of the driving mechanism permits the cover of themachine in which the pounder shaft is carried to be raised and loweredwithout cleavage of the gears constituting the driving mechanism.

A further object `of this invention is to provide in certain instances aconstruction in which the fly wheel is mounted on the main body portionof the machine and to so arrange the driving mechanism between thefly-wheel and the pounder shaft to permit the cover of the machine inwhich vthe pounder shaft isv carried to be raised andv lowered withoutdisengaging the driving mechanism.

The invention YfurtherY consists in the several features hereinafter setforth and more particularly defined byA claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings :--V Y Figurel is a sideelevat'ion of the driving Fig. 6is a view of a modified form of driving mechanism of that shown in Fig.4.

The washing machine to which the driving mechanism is applied consistsof a tub or clothes receptacle 5 of usual construction provided with alhinged cover 6' in which a vertically disposed pounder shaft 7 isjournaled and slidably mounted, and a pounder 8 carried at the lower endof the shaft 7.

In each instance, the driving mechanism comprises means for causing thepounder shaft to rock from normal position to the left and then back tonormal position again while the pounder moves from its lower to itsupper position and to rock it from normal position to the right and thenback tol Anormal position again while the pounder moves from its lowerto its upper position and rocks it from normal position to the left andthen back to normal position again while the pounder moves from itsupper to its lower position during this revolution.

In Fig. 1,.the mechanism for accomplishing this purpose comprises asegmental bevel gear 9 mounted on an oscillatory lever 10 journaled on ashaft 10 :mounted on a bracket 11 securedV to the tub 5, a bevel gear 12in mesh with the gear 9 and mounted on a drive shaft 13 journaled in abearing bracket 14 on the cover 6 which cover is hinged to the shaft 10carried by the bracket 11 by an arm let in which the shaft 10 isp'ivotally mounted and a driving connection between said shaft 13 andthe shaft 7. The driving connectiony consists of a collar 15 Xedlysecured to the shaft 7 by a pin 15 and provided with an extension 1Ghaving a bore 16 therein in which the enlarged rounded'extremity 17 ofthe shaft 13 is slidably and rotatably mounted, lt will be understoodthat the bored-member could be formed on the shaft 13 and could engagewith a rounded member on the shaft 7 and that such reversal of partswould perform the same functions as the connection just described. Theend 18 of the shaft 13 is angularly inclined with respect to thatportion journaled in the bracket 1a and when the shaft 13 is rotated ineither direction through the gears 9 and 12,V it will, through thedriving connection justdescribed, impart a complete verticalreciprocation to the shaft 7. It will be further noted that on theforward movement of the lever 10 the shaft 13, through the gearing 9 and12, will make one complete revolution in one direction and this willcause a complete up and down movement of the shaft 7 which is also givena movement from normal position to the left and then back to normalposition while the pounder moves fromvits lower to its upper positionand then said shaft 7 is given a mo vei ent from normal position to theright and then back to normalr position while the pounder moves from itsupper to its lower position. On the backward movement of the lever 10the shaft 13, through the gearing 9 and 12, will make one completerevolution in the opposite direction from that ust described and thiswill also cause a complete up and down movement of the shaft 7 which is,under these conditions, rocked Yfrom normal position to the right andthen back to normal position while the pounder moves from its lower toits upper position and then said shaft 7 is rocked from normal positionto the left and back to Vnormal position while the pounder' moves fromits upper to its lower position. From the above movement it will benoted that the pounder on the forward movement, of the lever 10 willstrike the clothes in one place and move down to its normal lowermostposition and on the backward movement of the lever 10 will strike theclothes in another place and move-down to its normal lowermost positionand that in either case, owing to the rocking movement of the poundersas it moves into and out of contact with the clothes, there will arubbing and agitation of the clothes produced.

In the arrangement of the gearing above described the hinging of thecover 6 upon the bracket 14 permits the cover and the gearing connectedthereto to be swung up without disengaging the gears 9 and 12.

Means are provided for imparting the necessary momentum to the operatingmechanism comprising a fly-wheel 19 revolubly mounted on a shaft 2Osecured to the bottom of the tub and carrying a gear 21 which is in meshwith a gear 22 also revolubly mounted on the bottom of the tub, andmeans connecting said gear 22 with the operating lever 10 tocontinuously rotate said gear and fly-wheel.

This connecting means consists of a pitman 23 pivotally andeccentrically connected at one end to the gear 22 and pivotally.connected at the other end to the lower end of a lever 24 which'ispivotally connectedY intermediate its ends to a bracket 25 mounted inthe side of thetub and which is slidably and pivotally connected at itsupper end with the lever 1Q by aV connection consisting of anenlargedroundedend portion 26 and a cylindrical bore 27 forming a partof the lever 10.- As a result of this connection between the lever 10and the ywheel 19, the .oscillation of the lever 10 will impart acontinuous rotation toi the {iiywheel which will provide sufficientmomentum for the operating mechanism so as to insureits proper operationand the cover will be relieved of the weight of the flywheel through thehinged connection previously described. i

1n Figs. 2 and 3 the connection between the shaft 7 and the shaft 13 isthe same as that previously described and the connection between thelever 10 and the shaft 13 is similar, except that t the shaft 13 carriesa spur gear 12 in mesh with an annular segment-al gear 9 formed on aportion of the lever 10, pivotally mounted on a pin 10 secured to thebracket 14 on the cover 6. The mechanism for imparting the necessarymomentum to the drive shaft 13 is, however, different, though in thisinstance, the fly-wheel isV mounted on the side of the tub and there -isno separation of the gears when the cover is lifted and the cover isrelieved of the weight of the fly-wheel. This mechanism comprises a'fly-wheel 28 revolubly mounted on a pin 29 carried by a bracket 30secured to the side of the tub. The wheel 28 carries a gear 31 whichmeshes with a gear 32 suitably journaled on the bracket 30 and a pitman33 pivotally and eccentrically connected at one end to the gear 32 andpivotally connected at its other end to an extension 34 of the lever 10'so that the oscillation of said lever 10 will,

through the pitman 33, gears 32 and 31, continuously rotate thefly-wheel 28 to impart the necessary momentum to the driving mechanism.It will also be noted that thelink connectionbetween the gear 32 and thelever 10 permits the raising of the hinged cover 6 without disengagementof In Figs. 5 and 6 the connection between v the shaft 7 and the Shaft13 is the same as that previously described and carries a spur gear 12which, in Figs. 4 and 5, meshes with a segmental gear 35, and in Fig. 6with an annularsegmental gear 36,in each case formed in an oscillatinglever 10 which is pivotally mounted on a pin 37 carried by the bracket14 on the cover. Thus the connection between the lever 10 and the shaft13 is substantially the same as in the first form described and causes asimilar movement of the pounder during its backward and forwardoscillation.

The means for imparting the necessary momentum to the shaft 13 in Figs.4 and 5 comprises af fly-wheel 38 pivotally mounted on a shaft 39carried by the bracket on the cover of the machine, said wheel 38 beingalso provided with a gear 40, which meshes with a gear 41 carried by theshaft 13 and a link 42 eecentrically and pivotally mounted on the gear41 and connected to the lever l0 for transmitting the oscillatorymovement of said lever to the gearing just described to cause acontinuous rotation of the fly-wheel. In this form a portion 43 of thelever 10 adjacent the gear 35 is cut out or slotted to make room for thepin or shaft 39. It will be noted in the construction above describedthe gearing will not separate on the opening of the cover.

The means for imparting the necessary momentum to the shaft 13 in Fig. 6comprises a fly-wheel 44 mounted on the shaft 3T carried by the cover 6of the machine, a gear 46 integral with said wheel 44 and in mesh with agear 41 similar to the gear 41 above described and similarly mounted onthe shaft 13 and a link 42 eccentrically and pivotally mounted on thegear 41 and pivotally connected to the lever 10. The oscillation of thelever 10 causes a continuous rotation of the fly-wheel 44 through thegearing and linkage above described and in this instance the lever 10 ispivoted on the shaft 37 to secure a more compact arrangement than thatshown in Fig. 4.

' In this construction also the'gearing will not separate on the openingof the cover.

Thus in the diderent constructions above described there is a continuousrotation of the dy-wheel on the backward and forward movement of theoperating lever and thereV are also complete rotations of the shaft 13in opposite directions during one operation of said lever. It will beVfurther noted from the foregoing description that the connectionbetween the shaft 13 and the Vshaft 7 causes the pounder to strike theclothes in two diderent places during one operation of the lever.

The invention thus exemplifies a new and improved form of drivingmechanism particularly adapted for use in connection with washingmachines.

What I claim as my invention is l. In a driving mechanism, thecombination, with a vertical shaft, of a drive shaft disposed at anangle thereto, a member Xed to the vertical shaft and provided with abore, said drive shaft having an odset portion pivotally and slidablymounted in said bore, and means for operating said drive shaft. v

2. In a driving mechanism, the combination, of a vertical shaft, a driveshaft disposed at an angle thereto and provided with an odset portion,aY member fixed to said vertical shaft and operatively connected to saidodset portion to form a sliding and pivotal driving connection betweensaid shafts, and means for imparting an alternately reversed rotation tosaid drive shaft.

3. In a driving mechanism, the combination of a vertical shaft, a driveshaft disposed atan angle thereto and provided with an odset portion, amember having a bore therein fixed to said vertical shaft, said odsetportion of the drive shaft being provided with a rounded end for slidingand pivotal movement within said bore, an oscillating lever, and agearing connection between said lever and drive shaft to impart analternately reversed rotation to said drive shaft on the operation ofsaid lever.

4. In a driving mechanism, the combination, with a vertical shaft, of adrive shaft disposed at an angle thereto, a member fixed to the verticalshaft and provided with a bore, said drive shaft havingan odset portionpivotally and slidably mounted in said bore, a gear mounted on the driveshaft, an oscillatory lever, and a segmental gear carried by said Vleverand in mesh with the gear on said drive shaft. t

5. In a driving mechanism, the combination, with a vertical shaft, of a.drive shaft disposed at an angle thereto, a member Xed to the verticalshaft and provided with a bore, said drive shaft having an odset portionpivotally and slidably mounted in said bore, a gear mounted on the driveshaft, an

oscillatory lever, a segmental gear carried by said lever and in meshwith the gear on said drive shaft, and means operatively connected tosaid lever for imparting the necessary momentum to said drive shaft.

6. In a driving mechanism, the combination with a. support, of avertical shaft, a drive shaft disposed at an angle thereto, a drivingconnection between said shafts to horizontally rock and verticallyreciprocate said vertical shaft, a gear on the drive sha-ft,

an oscillating lever, a segmental gear car ried by said lever and inmesh with the gear on the drive shaft, an intermediate gear, a linkeccentrically connected to said lever and intermediate gear, a fly wheelmounted on the support, and a direct gearing connection between saidintermediate gear and said iy wheel.

In testimony whereof, I atlix my signature.

JOHN P. DORAU.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C.

